ingenuity and originality, it was, we must confess, grossly defective in
those principles usually inculcated by our best Ethic writers.

"Couldn't you have tould him what we agreed upon goin' up," observed
Ellish; "but instead o' that, to begin an' tell the gintlemen so many
lies about your bein' dhrunk, an' this bein' your birth-day, an' the
day we wor marrid, an',----Musha, sich quare stories to come into your
head?"

"Why," said Peter, "what harm's in all that, whin he didn't _find me
out?_"

"But why the sarra did you go to say that I was in the custom o' tellin'
lies?"

"Faix, bekase I thought you wor goin' to let out all, an' I thought
it best to have the first word o' you. What else?--but sure I brought
myself off bravely."

"Well, well, a hudh; don't be invintin' sich things another time, or
you'll bring yourself into a scrape, some way or other."

"Faix, an' you needn't spake, Ellish; you can let out a nate bounce
yourself, whin it's to sarve you. Come now, don't run away wid the
story!"

"Well, if I do, it's in the way o' my business; whin I'm batin' them
down in the price o' what I'm buyin', or gettin' thim to bid up for any
thing I'm sellin': besides, it's to advance ourselves in the world that
I do it, abouchal."